HLS 11RS-549 ENGROSSED
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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 128
BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHRODER
STATE EMPLOYEES: Requests establishment of pay systems and procedures for
classified and unclassified state employees that provide for cost-of-living increases
and rewards for performance and clearly distinguish between them
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the State Civil Service Commission, the governor through the2
commissioner of administration in cooperation with statewide elected officials and3
the Public Service Commission, and the Board of Regents in cooperation with the4
management boards for public postsecondary education systems expeditiously to5
develop and implement pay systems and procedures for all state employees,6
classified and unclassified, that meet certain criteria; to provide for submission7
thereof to specified legislative committees and for hearings thereon; and to provide8
for related matters.9
WHEREAS, in the face of a very difficult state financial situation, the State Civil10
Service Commission and the governor imposed a ban on merit pay increases for classified11
employees for Fiscal Year 2010-2011, and the State Civil Service Commission has approved12
and the governor has signed such a ban for Fiscal Year 2011-2012; and13
WHEREAS, the governor has issued executive orders banning merit pay increases14
for unclassified employees for the current fiscal year and for the fiscal year that begins on15
July 1, 2011, and he has also issued an executive order for the current fiscal year prohibiting16
expenditure of funds related to unclassified personal services for the purpose of pay17
increases with certain exemptions; and18
WHEREAS, sound human resource policy should not be based on changing financial19
conditions, but should be effective for all situations and should withstand the test of time and20
changing circumstances; and the measures that have been taken to freeze pay levels focus21 HLS 11RS-549 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 128
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attention upon the need to give serious consideration to pay structures and procedures and1
the methods used to grant pay increases to both classified and unclassified employees; and2
WHEREAS, prior to these pay freezes, classified state employees were granted3
annual salary increases contingent upon performance evaluation, but improvements in the4
system are being considered; and5
WHEREAS, a recent review of procedures used for granting pay increases for6
unclassified employees, prepared for the State Civil Service Commission Study Group in7
response to House Resolution No. 180, revealed that increases for unclassified employees8
of state departments typically are not tied to a structured performance evaluation, while such9
increases for unclassified employees of higher education boards and institutions, though10
often tied to such an evaluation system, are in a number of instances granted with no tie to11
performance or with a fairly wide variation in the percentage increase; and12
WHEREAS, there is a need for state employees and the taxpaying public to have13
confidence that state employee pay is based upon pay plans and procedures that assure a fair14
wage that keeps up with the cost of living and grant additional monetary rewards to15
employees whose performance truly deserves extra recognition.16
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby17
urge and request the State Civil Service Commission, the governor through the18
commissioner of administration in cooperation with the statewide elected officials and the19
Public Service Commission, and the Board of Regents in cooperation with the management20
boards for public postsecondary education systems expeditiously to develop and implement21
pay systems and procedures for all state employees, classified and unclassified, that:22
(1) Provide for effective performance evaluation systems to be used to improve23
employee performance and to determine eligibility for and the type of pay increases the24
employee will receive.25
(2) Provide for base pay increases that are cost-of-living increases directly related26
to indexes of actual increases in the cost of living.27
(3) Provide for variable payment of performance awards to be granted to outstanding28
employees based upon current performance.29
(4) Clearly distinguish pay for performance and cost-of-living increases.30 HLS 11RS-549 ENGROSSED
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(5) Provide a basis for state employees and Louisiana taxpayers to have confidence1
that pay systems and procedures for state employees are fair and effective, including cost-of-2
living increases and additional amounts based upon meritorious performance.3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in order to accomplish the intent of this4
Resolution, the legislature requests the State Civil Service Commission to develop and5
propose pay systems and procedures for classified employees that comply with this6
Resolution as soon as possible.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in order to accomplish the intent of this8
Resolution, the legislature requests the governor through the commissioner of9
administration, in cooperation with statewide elected officials and the Public Service10
Commission, to develop and propose pay systems and procedures for unclassified employees11
in the departments of state government that shall be applicable to all such employees and12
that, except as fully explained and justified, shall be substantially similar to the proposals13
of the State Civil Service Commission.14
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in order to accomplish the intent of this15
Resolution, the legislature requests the Board of Regents in cooperation with the16
management boards for public postsecondary education systems, to develop and propose pay17
systems and procedures for unclassified employees under the jurisdiction of such boards18
that, except as fully explained and justified, shall be applicable to all such employees and19
substantially similar to the proposals of the State Civil Service Commission.20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, not later than December 31, 2011, and prior to21
implementation, the State Civil Service Commission shall submit its proposals for pay22
systems and procedures for classified employees that comply with this Resolution to the23
House Committee on House and Governmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Senate24
and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate25
Committee on Finance and that, not later than March 1, 2012, and prior to implementation,26
the governor through the commissioner of administration, in cooperation with the statewide27
elected officials and the Public Service Commission, and also the Board of Regents in28
cooperation with the management boards for public postsecondary education systems, shall29
submit their proposed pay systems and procedures for unclassified employees that comply30 HLS 11RS-549 ENGROSSED
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with this Resolution to such committees, and that any of such committees may hold such1
hearings concerning such proposed systems and procedures as they deem useful and may2
make such recommendations to those submitting such systems and procedures as they deem3
necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Resolution.4
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Schroder HCR No. 128
Abstract: Requests implementation of pay systems and procedures for classified and
unclassified state employees that provide base pay increases to meet the cost of
living, reward outstanding current performance, and distinguish between cost-of-
living increases and pay for performance.
Proposed Concurrent Resolution requests the State Civil Service Commission, the governor
through the commissioner of administration in cooperation with the statewide elected
officials and the Public Service Commission, and the Board of Regents in cooperation with
the management boards for public postsecondary education systems expeditiously to develop
and implement pay systems and procedures for all state employees, classified and
unclassified, that meet certain criteria, namely:
(1)Provide for effective performance evaluation systems to be used to improve
employee performance and to determine eligibility for and the type of pay increases
the employee will receive.
(2)Provide for base pay increases that are cost-of-living increases directly related to
indexes of actual increases in the cost of living.
(3)Provide for variable payment of performance awards to be granted to outstanding
employees based upon current performance.
(4)Clearly distinguish pay for performance and cost-of-living increases.
(5)Provide a basis for state employees and La. taxpayers to have confidence that pay
systems and procedures for state employees are fair and effective, including cost-of-
living increases and additional amounts based upon meritorious performance.
Requests the State Civil Service Commission to propose such pay systems and procedures
for classified employees as soon as possible. Requests the governor through the
commissioner of administration, in cooperation with statewide elected officials and the
Public Service Commission, to propose such pay systems and procedures for unclassified
employees in the state government departments, that are applicable to all such employees
and, except as fully explained and justified, are substantially similar to the State Civil
Service Commission's proposals. Requests the Board of Regents in cooperation with the
management boards for public postsecondary education systems, to propose such pay
systems and procedures for unclassified employees under the jurisdiction of such boards
that, except as fully explained and justified, are applicable to all such employe es and
substantially similar to the State Civil Service Commission's proposals.
Provides for submission of proposals, prior to implementation, to the House Committee on
House and Governmental Affairs and the Senate Committee on Senate and Governmental
Affairs and the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Finance. HLS 11RS-549 ENGROSSED
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Provides for the State Civil Service Commission to submit its proposals not later than Dec.
31, 2011, and for the other proposals to be submitted not later than March 1, 2012.
Authorizes any of such committees to hold hearings and make recommendations concerning
such proposals as they deem necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Resolution.